CHAPTER IV
REGISTRATION AND BENEFIT SHARING

 37.       Certificate of registration under section 24  -  

(1) The certificate of registration of a plant variety, other than an essentially derived variety, under sub-section (2) of section 24  shall be in Form O-2 of the Third Schedule.  

(2) The Registrar shall issue the certificate of registration under sub-section  (2) of section 24 within three years of the date of filing of application subject to the fulfillment of all other requirements.    

(3) A copy of the certificate of registration issued under sub-section (2) of section 24 shall be sent to the Authority; and to such other body or agency, which the Central Government may, by notification in the official gazette specify.   

38.       Notice to the applicant under section 24  -  

(1) If, within a period of twelve months, the application for registration of a plant variety other than an essentially derived variety is not completed in the circumstances given in sub-section (3) of section 24, the Registrar shall issue thirty days notice to the applicant at the address of his principal place of business in India, or if, he has no principal place of business in India, at the address for service in India stated in the application, but if the   applicant has authorized an agent for the purpose of the application, the notice shall be sent to the agent and a duplicate thereof to the applicant for filing of the application or such further time as the Registrar may allow for completion of registration.  

(2) The notice under sub-rule (1) shall be in Form O-3 of the Third Schedule.  

39.       Renewal and revision of registration under section 24  -  

(1)   (a) On receipt of an application from the applicant, the Authority may review and renew the initial duration of registration as mentioned in sub-section (6) of section 24. 

(b) Every application for review and renewal under sub-rule (1) shall be made in Form PV-6 of the First Schedule and filed during twelve to eighteen months prior to the expiry of the initial period of registration.

(c) Every application under sub-rule (1) shall be accompanied with the fee payable for the remaining years under the initial period of registration, at the rate fixed for the year preceding the year of application, along with arrears, if any.  

(2)   (a) The renewal of registration may be applied for either for the remaining period of total aggregate duration of validity of the registration or for any period within such remaining period.

(b) In case, the applicant prefers for a period less than the total aggregate duration, no application shall be entertained for the further renewal of registration.  

(3)   (a) The fee payable for such extended period of registration beyond nine years in the case of trees and vines and six years in the case of other crop varieties, as the case may be, shall be based on average annual fee levied during the last two years of the said initial period of registration.

(b) The annual fee shall be uniform for the extended period of the registration and be payable in advance in single instalment.  

(4)   The Authority shall within such intervals as it thinks appropriate publish a list of varieties registered as well as renewed under the Act with the particulars of the period of registration, name and address of right holders periodically in its journal and in the Official Gazette.  

40.      Publication of contents of the certificate inviting claims for benefit sharing under section 26  -

 Upon the issuance of the registration certificate under sub-section (8) of section 23, or sub-section (2) of section 24, the Authority shall, for the purpose of inviting claims for benefit sharing under the Act, shall advertise the following details of the registration certificate, namely -  

(a)    the registration number along with the date of grant,

(b)   the name and address of the applicant or breeder in whose name the certificate has been issued or registered,

(c)    denomination of the variety,

(d)   name of the family, genus, species, variety and common name,

(e)    parentage and geographical location of the variety,

(f)     the details of the distinguishing features or the characteristics,

(g)    in case of ‘essentially derived variety’, the details of the ‘initial variety’ from which the ‘essentially derived variety’ is claimed to have been derived.

(h)    the name and address of the contributor, nature and amount of the contribution or the community knowledge used in the development of the plant variety.

(i)      the terms and conditions of the agreement, if any, entered into between the breeder and the contributor.

(j)     if the variety is sold or otherwise disposed of, details thereof.       

41.       Benefit sharing claim under section 26 -  

(1)   Upon the publication of the particulars of a certificate under sub-section (1) of section 26, a person or group of persons or firm or a non-governmental organization can make a claim under sub-section (2) of that section for benefit sharing in Form PV-7 of the First Schedule within a period of six months from the date of such publication.  

Provided that in special circumstances, the Authority may extend the time limit beyond the period of six months.         

(2)   The person or persons or firm or the non-governmental organization, who has made an application for benefit sharing, shall provide the following information, namely :      

(a)    the contribution made by the person or the group of persons or firm or community or the non-governmental organisations to the genetic development of the plant variety ;

(b)   the capacity in which the person or the group of persons or the non-governmental organisation is making the claim for benefit sharing ;

(c)    in case of “essentially derived varieties”, the terms and conditions in which  authorisation has been given ;

(d)   the commercial viability or the actual market performance of the variety so registered. 

           (3) An applicant for benefit sharing shall pay the fee as specified for the purpose, in column (3) of the Second Schedule.                    

42.       Opposition to a claim for benefit sharing under section 26  -  

(1)   On receipt of a copy of the claim for benefit sharing, the registered breeder of the plant variety may accept the claim and accordingly intimate the same to the Authority within a period of three months from the date of such receipt..  

(2)   In the eventuality of the plant breeder failing or defaulting to tender the intimation under sub-rule(1) within the period of three months, referred to in sub-rule(1) it shall be presumed that he has no opposition to such claim and the claim shall be decided accordingly.  

(3)   If, within a period of three months of receipt of notice of claim, the breeder of the plant variety files his opposition to the claim for benefit sharing, such an opposition shall be taken into consideration while disposing or deciding the claim for benefit sharing.  

(4)   Every notice of opposition, under sub-rule(3) shall be in Form PV-8 of the First Schedule.

(5)   The Authority, upon receiving the reply from the registered breeder, shall furnish a copy of such reply to the claimant for benefit sharing.  

(6)   The registered breeder or the claimant to benefit sharing shall furnish supporting document and other evidence, which shall be duly considered by the Authority while disposing of any claim for benefit sharing.  

43.       Determination of benefit sharing under section 26  -

The Authority shall, by order, determine the amount of benefit sharing to a variety according to clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section (5) of section 26 and taking into account the following criteria, namely -  

(a)    the contribution of the claimant in selecting, conserving and providing the genetic material,

(b)   the contribution of such genetic material in providing one or more traits which conferred high commercial value to the variety, and

(c)    the contribution of such genetic material to impart high combining ability to the parents of the hybrid variety relating to benefit sharing.  

44.       Reference for recovering benefit sharing under section 26  -  

In case of default or failure on the part of the breeder of the variety to deposit the amount of benefit sharing in the Gene Fund, as per the order of the Authority of section 26, required under sub-section(6) within a period of three months from the date of such order, the Registrar shall make a reference to the District Magistrate under sub-section (7) of that section 26 in Form O-4 of the Third Schedule.   

45.       Application for registration of title of agent or licensee under section 28  -  

(1)   An application under sub-section (4) of section 28 for registration as an   agent or licensee, as the case may be, shall be made in Form PV-9 of the First Schedule.

(2)   The application for title by a licensee or an agent shall be accompanied by three attested copies of the agreement or instrument of entitlement or any other documentary evidence.  

(3)   The proposed agent or licensee may also be required to   produce such other documents and information as may be required by the Registrar in support of the proof of title.  

(4)   The applicant under sub-section (4) of section 28 shall pay the fee as specified for the purpose in column (3) of the Second Schedule.  

46.         Reference of disputes of entitlement under section 28  -  

(1)           While referring a dispute under sub-section (4) of section 28 to the Authority for determination the Registrar shall furnish all the relevant information related to dispute with three copies of all the documents and evidence available with his office. 

(2)   On receipt of an order of the Authority in respect of the dispute, the Registrar shall furnish copies of the order to the persons involved for necessary compliance.  

47.        Certificate of registration of entitlement under section 28  -  

                The certificate of registration to be issued to a registered licensee or an agent by the Registrar under sub-section (4) of section 28 shall be in Form O-5 of the Third Schedule.    

48.       Application and procedure for varying or cancelling terms of registration under section 28  -

 

(1)   An application under clauses (a), (b), (c), (d), or  (e) of sub-section (9)  of section 28 for variation or cancellation of the terms of registration of a registered breeder or his successor or any other person shall be in Form PV-10 of the First Schedule.

 

(2)   Every applications under sub-rule (1) shall be accompanied by a fee as specified for the purpose in column (3) of the Second Schedule.

 

49.       Notice and proceedings under section 28  -

 

(1)   The Registrar shall issue notice of every application under sub-section (10) of section 28 in Form O- 6 of the Third Schedule to the registered breeder or the agent or the licensee.  

 

(2)   Any person to whom a notice has been issued under sub-rule (1) and who intends to oppose or intervene in any proceedings under section 28, shall, within three months of the receipt of such notice, give notice of opposition or intervention to the Registrar in Form PV-11 of the First Schedule.

 

(3)   On receipt of a notice of opposition or intervention the Registrar shall furnish a copy of it to the applicant.

 

(4) The Registrar may accept or refuse the application or accept it subject to any condition, modification or limitation as directed by the Authority and shall inform the parties in writing accordingly.